Poor people pay more for water<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Lacking access to clean water in his neighborhood in Rawabuaya
\nsubdistrict, West Jakarta, Sunyoto, 45, has to spend up to 10
\npercent of his monthly income just to buy water from street
\nvendors.<\/p>\n
Like most of his neighbors, he buys a 20-liter jerry can of
\nclean water from the vendor every day, which costs him Rp 1,000.
\nThe family use the water only for drinking and cooking.<\/p>\n
"We have a well in our rented house, but the color of the
\nwater is yellowish. Although the water ruins our clothes, we have
\nno choice but to use it for washing. Otherwise, most of our
\nspending would be for water," the father of two said.<\/p>\n
His monthly income is about Rp 500,000 (US$51.30), of which Rp
\n150,000 must be used for house rent. Luckily, both of his
\nchildren are still under five and don't have to go to school.<\/p>\n
The water vendors sell piped water supplied by PT Pam
\nLyonaisse Jaya (Palyja), the foreign partner of city owned water
\noperator PT Pam Jaya which serves western part of the city.<\/p>\n
Although the street vendors had yet to raise their price
\nfollowing the water tariff increase in early July, Sunyoto said
\nhe has no other choice but to spend more for water.<\/p>\n
"Clean water is vital for my family," he said.<\/p>\n
Currently, water supplied by PT Palyja and PT Thames Pam Jaya
\n(TPJ), another foreign water operator serving the eastern part of
\nthe city, could only cover around 50 percent of clean water
\ndemands in the city.<\/p>\n
Despite the poor service, water tariffs will keep on
\nincreasing every six months from 2005 until 2007, as part of
\nefforts to pay off Pam Jaya's debts to the foreign partners.<\/p>\n
The latest increase, effective on July 1, ranges from 5
\npercent for industrial, commercial premises and high-income area
\nhouses, up to 63 percent for low-income areas.<\/p>\n
Previously, poor customers paid Rp 550 per cubic meter of
\nwater (one cubic meter is equal to 1,000 liters). Now they have
\nto pay Rp 900 per cubic meter.<\/p>\n
Although the hike led to public protests for putting heavier
\nburdens on the poor, what they have to pay was still much cheaper
\nthan what Sunyoto's has to spend on water.<\/p>\n
Sunyoto's neighbor Karno, 50, said he could get the same
\namount of clean water cheaper because he had the time and a cart
\nto carry water cans home.<\/p>\n
"The water operator sells water for only Rp 500 per 20
\nliters," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Mahdi, 50, a resident of Semanan subdistrict, also
\nin West Jakarta, said that his family used underground water for
\nall necessities. According to him, the water is of better quality
\ncompared to the underground water of his neighbors.<\/p>\n
He feels safe consuming underground water although according
\nto data from the City Health Agency, 90 percent of underground
\nwater in the city is contaminated by E. coli bacteria, a common
\ncause of diarrheal diseases.<\/p>\n
"Of course the water must be boiled before we drink it. It's
\nmuch better than the pricey tap water which has been mixed with
\nchemical substances," he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poor-people-pay-more-for-water-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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